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December 31, 2016December 31, 2016

2017: Chess Moves

Here were are at the end of this god forsaken year. So much has happened this year,good and bad. As I said in last year’s affirmation, this for me was year one of the rebuild and in 2017 is year two,but it’s going to be more like a chess game for me in many ways. First,though,let’s review this year.

After three plus years at the office I started at in Carmichael, I moved on to a full time position in Placerville in March. While it is a rough commute at times to the point that my ears pop as soon as I get out of the car and even hours after arriving home, I am doing well and I hope that my co-workers feel the same way. I will say,though,that working in a smaller office is not as easy as it might seem. So if anyone is moving from a bigger office to a smaller one, the transition is not as smooth as one might think.

Three weeks after my move east, my niece Melody entered the world. She crashed the party early, a month early to be exact. She is such an adorable little girl and any time my brother or sister-in-law posts videos or pictures of her, it makes me smile. I love that kid,she has the happiest of smiles and the brightest of eyes and I’m excited to see how much she is growing up. It’s all happening so fast,though.

I did do Disneyland twice this year. One of those trips was in February right after my 34th birthday and I was there most the time by myself. It was a grueling 11-hour drive down there,due in part to the time I left and the storm I encountered once down there, but overall it was a nice trip. If you’ve never been to Disneyland by yourself,it’s a different experience. The single rider line is beneficial if you’re going solo,also you can eat whatever and wherever you’d like. However,there’s nobody to high-five with when getting off a ride when you’re on your own.

My October trip was one that was in the works since last December. My friends, Mike,Fred,Kristen,and Jill went for Halloween and while the latter three weren’t able to be with us for the duration of the trip, the time we spent together was amazing and something I’ll never forget. I got to ride Tower of Terror one final time before it gets rebranded as Guardians of the Galaxy next summer and Mike and I saw Gwen Stefani walk by us. I also saw and took photographs with the most characters I’ve ever done pictures with. Mickey’s Halloween Party was nice in that we were able to be in the park a lot longer,but it’s more of a benefit if you have children who want to trick-or-treat in the park.

Aside from that,not too much happened for me personally. There are a few things I wish I could’ve done. I wish I had lost weight,

I wish I could’ve fallen in love,and I wish I had more money saved so I can buy a house. I also wish I had stepped out of comfort zone a lot more. But that’s where 2017 comes in and with that starts a game of chess or sorts for me.

I’m hoping that,with the right chess moves made in my life,I can make a lot of strides and moves towards positive growth. If you think about it,life really is a chess game in that there’s planning,time management,recognition of patterns,and of course randomness that all together,just like life.

I know that,if I just take a deep breath and approach the things in life I want to achieve the most, I will be better for having done those things. I’ve come a long way in the last four years,but I have a ways to go before I can be in a good place. I just have to move the right pieces and carve a path to victory.

May all of you have a safe and happy new year wherever you may be and I hope 2017 is everything you hope for it to be!